Tatiana hair extensions: interiors inspiration

When Tatiana Hair Extensions outgrew their initial premises, they didn't have to look far for somewhere new to expand their own unique brand of contemporary glamour. Their new premises - a former dry cleaners - was just a few doors down the road on Holland Street; a quaint street in the heart of London's upmarket Kensington. But while the location may have been familiar, the shop itself wasn't quite up to scratch. "It was in very poor condition and needed extensive transformation to be a salon," admits owner Tatiana Karelina. However three months later, the doors were ready to open. "When we outgrew our old salon we wanted to create a salon with a vibrant and fun atmosphere where our clients would look forward to spending a few hours with us," says Tatiana. "Our idea of the perfect salon design was to be different and to stand out from the crowd." And stand out from the crowd it does, with a Thai-inspired garden terrace, statement quilted wall and bespoke Marilyn Monroe artwork, commissioned by Manchester artist Melanie Batty and created entirely out of broken glass and Swarovski crystals. To complement the glamour theme, antique gold mosaic panels were used to decorate the work stations and the reception booth - inspired by the decor of a Miami spa. The client bathroom also echoes this luxurious mood, with a Victorian sink unit and handmade velvet skull wallpaper from Beware the Moon. However it's not all about bespoke designs and investment pieces; the salon area dividers are made of gold chains from B&Q - "they were really cheap," says Tatiana, "but bulked up together and hung from the wall, they fit and look very chic." Now up and running for over two years, Tatiana says: "We could not be happier with the feedback we get from our clients on the salon. We believe we have truly created a salon environment where clients look forward to their next visit."

Tatiana Hair Extensions: In Pictures

[hji-gallery-legacy] In Brief Name: Tatiana Hair Extensions Address: 33 Holland St, Kensington, London W8 4LX Owners: Tatiana Karelina and Shawn Frazer Size: 600sqft internal, 200sqft garden terrace Number of staff: 9 Number of styling stations: 7 hair extensions stations Budget: £50,000 Design by: Tatiana Karelina Top Tips 1. Think of the client first when designing. They are the ones that will be spending their precious time there with you, so you need to make sure that the salon is a great place for them to visit. This means a balance of style, comfort and fun. 2. Have a feature “something” for each area; something that stands out and creates a WOW factor. This could be art, a piece of furniture or some technology/lighting. 3. Use sites like Houzz and Pinterest to find ideas that you like and create a mood board. This allows anyone, no matter what their level of interior design experience is, to decide what they want and clearly articulate it to their builders. 4. Find good builders; ones who can do anything and who are patient and professional. 5. Don’t copy. Designing a salon is a chance for you to be unique and stand out from the crowd.